Tag Archives: War

#81: Gone with the Wind (1939)

03 Monday Nov 2014

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Young Scarlett O’Hara is pining away
For the weak Ashley Wilkes, every night, every day,
But treats him as if he committed a felony
When he intends to wed his cousin Melanie.
 
As Civil War nears, she is suddenly met
By dashing Rhett Butler, who makes her upset.
He claims that the South cannot win any war,
But men still depart to go fight by the score.
 
An inconsequential first marriage ends fast,
And soon in Atlanta the wives are aghast
When Scarlett’s out dancing with who else but Rhett,
Who’s now a blockade runner nursing regret.
 
As Scarlett and Melanie worry and fret
For Ashley, they care for each suffering vet.
Atlanta is falling one hot afternoon
When Melanie goes into labor too soon.
 
The baby delivered, they call on Rhett’s aid;
He brings them a wagon as Yankees invade.
Through fiery buildings, they flee from the city,
And Rhett leaves them there with a kiss and his pity.
 
Through war-ravaged fields, Scarlett makes it to Tara,
Where fever has overcome Mrs. O’Hara.
Her home now in shambles, Miss Scarlett declares
She’ll never be hungry, regardless of cares.
 
The long Reconstruction is hard on them all;
Her father’s soon claimed by an unbalanced fall.
As taxes pile up, she appeals to ol’ Rhett,
Who’s broke and in prison but not desperate yet.
 
She marries for money, is widowed again,
And keeps Ashley close as her favorite of men.
When Rhett then proposes, she swiftly agrees
And soon has a daughter they’re eager to please.
 
A rumor and distance make Rhett envious,
And he has his way with a passionate fuss.
But tragedy strikes (in fact, three in a row),
And Scarlett and Rhett are too mired in woe.
 
When Scarlett at last has the courage to state
She never loved Ashley, it’s simply too late.
Rhett bitterly leaves her, not giving a “damn,”
But she swears to win back her disgruntled man.
___________________
 

When I first compiled my list, I originally placed Gone with the Wind at #5 because I admire it as a milestone in cinema, the film that mostly topped its great 1939 competition. However, my VC pointed out that I’m rarely eager to watch it nor am I quite as enthralled by the epic romance as she is. Thus, I decided to drop it out of the top ten but still give it the praise it deserves.

Gone with the Wind is one of America’s most enduring icons. Who hasn’t heard deathless lines like “As God is my witness, I’ll never be hungry again,” or “I don’t know nothin’ ‘bout birthin’ babies,” or “After all, tomorrow is another day”? Who hasn’t seen at least one parody of some element of this film? (Carol Burnett’s “Went with the Wind” skit is a favorite.) Between Margaret Mitchell’s classic (and interminable) novel and Sidney Howard’s Oscar-winning screenplay adaptation, the script is full of juicy quotes, yet even these are overshadowed by the perfectly cast leads and the scope of its best scenes.

While at times she indulges in unconvincing histrionics, Vivien Leigh is Scarlett O’Hara, just as the debonair Clark Gable is Rhett Butler. (Margaret Mitchell had him in mind.) Their amorous banter and volatile relationship are hallmarks of cinema romance, and Gable’s suave persona has left many a woman swooning in her seat, not least of all my VC. They also share one of the most passionate kisses ever filmed (after they leave Atlanta), which few movies can hope to top. Other characters are well-cast, though a tad one-dimensional. Olivia de Havilland (one of the only stars still alive) as Melanie is an ingratiating Mary Sue who is nonetheless kind and sympathetic, and while Leslie Howard is equally good as Ashley, his weak character is such a contrast from the allure of Rhett Butler that one cannot help but want to slap Scarlett silly for her misplaced infatuation. The black characters have drawn criticism for their adherence to racial stereotypes, but Hattie McDaniel’s role as Mammy won her the first Academy Award for an African-American (beating out de Havilland for Best Supporting Actress).

The film is at its best when its epic scope plays out, particularly during the War itself. Two scenes especially stand out: the long shot that pulls out to reveal a huge field strewn with Confederate soldiers, and the thrilling escape from burning Atlanta, with the characters’ silhouettes fleeing before a collapsing building (which had to be shot in one take). The film has spurts of cinema at its best, mainly in the first half, but its taxing length cannot keep up the spectacle. Perhaps due to its troubled production, many parts are simply boring and not completely necessary, a fault the films of my final top ten do not share.

Despite its bloated duration, Gone with the Wind is an epic romance set in a time long past, of billowing gowns and urbane gentlemen, a period clearly romanticized but no less legendary. It has ranked high among AFI’s greatest film lists, and, though I cannot quite include it in my personal top ten, it still deserves a place of honor among the all-time classics. May Hollywood never attempt a remake. (Please!)

Best line: (Scarlett, as Rhett is leaving at the end) “Rhett. If you go, where shall I go; what shall I do?”   (Rhett) “Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn.”

 
Rank: 54 out of 60
 

© 2014 S. G. Liput

239 Followers and Counting

#83: Saints and Soldiers (2003)

01 Saturday Nov 2014

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At Malmedy, the prisoners
Were massacred among the firs.
Survivors fled, though only four,
Content to hide and nothing more
Behind the German lines adverse,
 
Until a Brit convinces all
To risk their lives through snowy pall,
More lives to save from waning war
In snowy squall.
 
Camaraderie begins to grow
Among the outfit, lying low.
Through losses testing faith and nerve,
They carry on, like all who serve,
And gain perspective on the foe
From those who fall.
_______________
 

Who knew that a war movie made by Mormons would become one of my favorites of the whole genre? I watched Saints and Soldiers with low, if any, expectations and was completely enthralled by its powerful story. Set around real-life events, like the Malmedy massacre and the Battle of the Bulge, the film incorporates several true anecdotes into its tale of five soldiers behind enemy lines.

Though none of the actors are well-known stars, the entire film centers on its character development and excels at it: faithful but traumatized Deacon, coolheaded Gunderson, cigarette-craving Kendrick, suspicious doctor Gould, and swaggering Brit Winley. Every exchange provides either insights into their characters or humorous incidents that endear them to the audience and to each other. The writers throw in deftly written dialogue cues about each character’s “secret” and backstory that work even better than flashbacks would. By the time some of them give “their last full measure of devotion,” we feel as if we know most of them and are shaken by the loss as much as their fellow soldiers. Many movies have attempted such emotional direction, but Saints and Soldiers succeeds, at least for me.

For a low-budget production, the film boasts surprisingly genuine performances; stunning winter cinematography; a stirring, patriotic score; and a number of period details, from military costumes to antique vehicles, which add to its overall authenticity. One well-handled aspect is its Christian message; yes, it features somewhat of an evangelistic subplot, but it is never preachy and could have indeed happened out on the battlefield. Deacon is written as a Mormon from Snowflake, Arizona (“Doesn’t drink. Doesn’t smoke. He doesn’t even like coffee.”), but the only explicit elements of his faith are his reading of a small book (probably a Bible) and a brief, interrupted prayer. His faith acts as a complement to the story rather than the main focus and in the end is affirmed in a satisfying and realistic way.

Of course, there are also the usual explosions and battle scenes necessary in a war movie, and though many die and it is certainly intense, the violence is brief and restrained. Modern war films too often delve into the overly gritty, gory details that make war hell, claiming truthfully that it is “realistic,” but Saints and Soldiers achieves the same impact and emotion without profanity and without depicting heads blown off and blood spurting.

A lesser-known classic, Saints and Soldiers is a powerful, character-driven fight for survival that doesn’t demonize the enemy nor idealize the heroes and ought to be a model for other war films.

 
Rank: 54 out of 60
 

© 2014 S. G. Liput

237 Followers and Counting

 

Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)

06 Monday Oct 2014

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As patriotism is reaching a high at the time of the Second World War,
Steve Rogers is eager to join with a corps,
Since freedom and goodness are worth fighting for,
But since he is sick, he is not their first pick
And simply could not get his foot in the door.
 
One Abraham Erskine, a German defector whose serum can better a man,
Gives Rogers a chance at the Army’s new plan:
This serum could take down the whole Nazi clan.
Although Steve is weak, he’s courageous and meek,
And Erskine picks him to do what few men can.
 
Assisted by Howard Stark, Erskine transforms the weakling he’d luckily found
To quite the he-man, unimpaired, muscle-bound.
They praise his success until Erskine is downed;
The serum’s destroyed by an agent employed
By the evil Red Skull, who is now gaining ground.
 
The Red Skull, who once used the serum himself, has found the arcane Tesseract.
He’s planning to harness its power intact
And conquer the globe and the Third Reich, in fact.
Meanwhile, Steve’s stuck selling war bonds with luck
But hopes to make more of a worthy impact.
 
He hears his pal Bucky was captured by HYDRA and sadly is most likely dead.
Both Stark and the fair Agent Carter are led
To get Steve past enemy lines with no dread.
He frees prisoners and his friend is no worse
So Steve’s private team gets the glad go-ahead.
 
Brave Captain America, Bucky, and team attack the Skull’s depots and bases,
But when they catch one of the Skull’s science aces,
Arnim Zola, poor Bucky falls with no traces.
Then Cap’s purposeful to take down the Red Skull
And rid the world of his most dreadful of faces.
 
Assaulting his headquarters, Cap follows closely aboard an explosive-filled plane.
The Skull is dissolved by the Tesseract’s strain,
But Cap sees his efforts to land are in vain.
Despite the steep price, Rogers crashes in ice…
And wakes up years later where S.H.I.E.L.D. must explain.
__________________
 

Yes, I consider Captain America: The First Avenger the best pre-Avengers Marvel film, as does my dad. Director Joe Johnston had already attempted a retro superhero flick in 1991’s The Rocketeer, and his treatment of Cap’s origins feels both familiar and fresh. The cinematography and the recreation of 1940s New York have the faded nostalgia of an old photograph, and the spectacular explosions and stunts set against this background (plus an Alan Menken musical number) make it uniquely entertaining.

Plus, the film boasts the unexpected star power of Chris Evans, whose gung-ho patriotism and intrinsic goodness are surprisingly convincing following his bad-boy impudence as the Human Torch in the lackluster Fantastic Four films. His goody two-shoes persona could easily have been boring, yet another hero we ought to cheer for just because, but the ways in which his character displays his selflessness gain the audience’s sympathy even before the famed experiment that transforms him into a beefcake. The effects used to diminish Evans’s physique are impressively seamless. Supporting players are alternately amusing and poignant, including Stanley Tucci as the Yinsen-esque motivator Dr. Erskine, Tommy Lee Jones as swift-tongued Colonel Phillips, Hayley Atwell as love interest Peggy Carter (who will soon have her own mini-series appropriately titled Agent Carter), Dominic Cooper as Iron Man’s father Howard Stark, Toby Jones as HYDRA scientist Dr. Zola, and Sebastian Stan as fallen friend Bucky Barnes. As far as comic book villains go, Hugo Weaving excels as the Red Skull, whose makeup could easily have become absurdly cartoonish but succeeds as an outward manifestation of his sanguinary intentions. The Matrix proved Weaving’s talent for villainy, but here his German accent and Nazi origins enhance his malevolence. The film also features an assassin played by Richard Armitage, who would go on to play Thorin Oakenshield in Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit trilogy.

In addition to Barnes’s sorrowful fall from the train, the thrilling climax aboard the Red Skull’s plane is deftly imagined. The villain’s “death” from the Tesseract is sufficiently ambiguous to make one wonder if he was really killed or perhaps transported elsewhere (you never know), and the film ends with one of the most credible instances of the he’s-dead-no-wait-never-mind cliché. I’ve mentioned this cliché before: used in countless films, many animated, it milks often contrived pathos from a character’s apparent death before resurrecting him, sometimes right away for a cheer, sometimes near the end as a deus ex machina. This doesn’t necessarily hurt a film overall; it just hampers its originality. The reason Captain America’s version of it works so heartbreakingly well is that, from the perspective of everyone he knew, Cap really did die, just as most of them had died by the time he was awoken. The final scene brings him up to speed with S.H.I.E.L.D. and the contemporary Avengers, but his sense of loss provides a somber conclusion to an otherwise rousing adventure. As the last film in Phase One of Marvel’s Cinematic Universe, Captain America: The First Avenger completed the cast for the subsequent Avengers team-up (even though Cap was not a founding member in the comics; just sayin’).

Best line: (Colonel Phillips, after Cap kisses Agent Carter and glances at him) “I’m not kissin’ ya!”

 
Artistry: 8
Characters/Actors: 8
Entertainment: 9
Visual Effects: 10
Originality: 7
Watchability: 9
 
TOTAL: 51 out of 60
 

Next: #106 – Air Force One

© 2014 S. G. Liput

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Grave of the Fireflies (1988)

21 Thursday Aug 2014

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I hate to remember that horrible day
When war became more than a far-distant fray,
When lives were upset and embittered and lost,
When I witnessed firsthand the heartbreaking cost.
 
Our home and town levelled, our mother gone too,
My sister and I were unsure what to do.
I took little Setsuko where we could stay,
To live with our aunt, who got meaner each day.
 
At last, we decided to live on our own,
And now I regret that we set out alone.
At first, we were happy, together apart;
We made our own meals and supposed ourselves smart.
 
But as the war lingered, the food became scant,
But I was too proud to return to our aunt.
My mother had said before we were assailed
To care for my sister; I tried, but I failed.
 
Oh, dear Setsuko, I remember one night;
I saw your face brighten with hope and delight
When fireflies lit up our shelter forlorn;
I watched as you dug them a grave the next morn.
 
I watched as you itched and grew tired and pale;
I gathered mere dregs but to little avail.
I traded and worked; then I pleaded and stole,
But unyielding hunger would still take its toll.
 
Your light, so unsteady, did flicker and fade,
But I’ve kept you close since that pyre I made,
And now as my own spirit’s starting to swoon,
I ask, why must fireflies perish so soon?
____________________
 

Readers of this blog may have gathered that I was prone to crying in my youth. Plenty of cartoons did the trick, and it took much less than Bambi’s mother to get my waterworks flowing. Yet as I’ve grown up, I’ve noticed that I don’t cry anymore, at anything really. Nothing seemed to melt my heart anymore, at least until I saw Grave of the Fireflies. Upon first viewing, I bawled like a baby; upon my second viewing with my VC, I did the same while she sat there unaffected and merely depressed. This latest viewing had the same effect on me.

Ironically released as a double feature with Hayao Miyazaki’s ultra-lightweight family fantasy My Neighbor Totoro (which I don’t care for), Grave of the Fireflies is probably the most depressing movie ever made because it is about two children starving to death, and that’s it. My VC saw little redeeming value in it since it’s enough to make some people suicidal, but I was deeply touched by the tragic story and the beauty with which it is told. Based off of a novel by Akiyuki Nosaka, who lost his own young sister to malnutrition during World War II, the film is presented with no doubt about the fates of Seita and Setsuko, but it uses a spiritual flashback as a framing device to look back at what brought them to their deaths. Metaphors abound in relation to the ubiquitous fireflies (kamikazes, mass graves, etc.), and several brief but happy scenes of shared pleasures between the two siblings act as fireflies themselves, lighting up the otherwise oppressively bleak tale with endearing character moments.

At times, Seita seems like the perfect big brother, protecting his sister from the evil around them and attempting to keep a happy face, even while Setsuko isn’t buying it. Yet he is realistically powerless in the face of ever more distressing circumstances, and glimpses of his own fragility and need for comfort are truly heartbreaking. Setsuko is also a realistic child, sometimes cranky and annoying, other times carefree and innocent. Her slow march to the grave has got to be the saddest movie death ever, and a final montage (set to that catalyst of tears, classical music) is pitiful and beautiful in the way it milks the sadness for all it is worth. The cremation scene is the part that always gets me, though, because as Seita looks at his sister one last time, all the viewer need do is replace her with the face of the person they love most in the world, and tears will flow.

I appreciate how the film doesn’t demonize the Americans for essentially being the cause of this suffering, along with Japan itself, but rather acts as an indictment on war itself and the hard-heartedness of people toward others’ suffering. Though it is visceral in its portrayal of suffering, I was also relieved that director Isao Takahata did not make it overly violent or disturbing (such as the earlier similar film Barefoot Gen, in which faces are melted from the atomic bomb; I don’t want to see that).

Though it tears me up inside, Grave of the Fireflies holds a special place in my heart, both because it is the only film that can still make me cry and because it reintroduced me to anime. Though I had been turned off by the bizarreness of Spirited Away, the intense realism of Fireflies was such a contrast that it opened me up to viewing other Japanese films that ended up on this list. Grave of the Fireflies may be slow and upsetting, but it is one of the most powerful films I have ever seen.

Best line: (Setsuko) “Why do fireflies have to die so soon?”

 
Artistry: 10
Characters/Actors: 9
Entertainment: 2
Visual Effects: 8
Originality: 8
Watchability: 2
Other (crying effect): +9
 
TOTAL: 48 out of 60
 

Next: #140 – A Christmas Carol

© 2014 S. G. Liput

186 Followers and Counting

 

Joyeux Noël (2005)

02 Wednesday Jul 2014

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In 1914, war began,
Embraced by most, except a few.
As nations called on every man,
The horror of it came in view.
 
The Scots, the Germans, and the French
Were fortified on Christmas Eve.
Each army huddled in its trench,
No reinforcements to relieve.
 
Then, lo, there rose a single voice,
A tenor on the German side,
Reminding them to still rejoice,
For Christ was born for all worldwide.
 
The Scots employed their instrument
To complement the brave recruit,
And everybody was content
To lend an ear instead of shoot.
 
The three commanders met that night,
To call a temporary truce,
To share champagne instead of fight,
To put their time to better use.
 
A Scottish priest performed a Mass
For every soldier, friend or foe,
And one attending German lass
Performed soprano in the snow.
 
Although the night soon ran its course,
The morning saw increased rapport.
They could not dole out death and force
On those they met the night before.
 
Instead, they gathered hand in hand,
The dead of every camp to bury,
And they transformed no man’s land
Into one large cemetery.
 
When shelling was to be dispersed,
The Germans warned their rival friend,
And when their places were reversed,
The Scots let courtesy extend.
 
Yet friendship was not meant to last,
For when superiors heard tell
Of what occurred, they were aghast
And punished all such personnel.
 
Though others thought their acts a shame,
The men who lived that silent night
Were proud to greet their foe by name
And share in peace on earth outright.
________________
 

Time to kick off Christmas in July with Joyeux Noël, which is French for Merry Christmas.There aren’t many foreign-language films on my list, but this one has a unique blend of languages, since it presents an amazing event during World War I from the point of view of German, Scottish, and French soldiers. All three languages are spoken side by side, not only heightening the film’s realism but also allowing English, French, and German-speaking viewers to hear their own language a third of the time.

The film wonderfully humanizes its characters and doesn’t set out to cast any side as the villain. True, Austria-Hungary and Germany were the aggressors, but, unlike the Second World War, I don’t believe there was true evil fueling the conflict. World War I was mainly fought over border disputes and entangling alliances, and the soldiers in the trenches were present only out of duty to their nations, not malice toward the opposing side. Of course, war forces countries to inevitably demonize their enemies in order to give their troops the drive to fight (as is hauntingly illustrated by the film’s opening poem, as well as the bishop’s sermon at the end), but most of those on the ground on both sides were ordinary people, real people, family men.

The film doesn’t provide as much characterization for the soldiers as I would have liked, but perhaps that was intentional. The war had just begun and the men were just getting to know each other, whether as friends, as enemies, or as something in between. Benno Fürmann stands out the most as the German tenor Sprink, along with his lover Anna, played by Diane Kruger of National Treasure fame. Guillaume Canet, Gary Lewis, and Daniel Brühl are also marvelous as the French lieutenant, a Scottish priest, and the German lieutenant, respectively.

The film is replete with moments of touching beauty, of enemies slowly coming together to exchange gifts, of a lovely operatic rendition of Ave Maria that leaves the troops spellbound, of kindness being shown even when they know it should be forbidden. It speaks strongly of the unifying power of music, religion, uncommon decency, and coffee/tea. Little details, such as a Frenchman’s clock-related habits or the back-and-forth claiming of an itinerant cat, help bring the story to life. (By the way, much of this story was previously featured in the music video for Paul McCartney’s “Pipes of Peace” back in 1983. Here’s the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7ErrZ-ipoE)

There are several profanities and a brief but unnecessary sex scene, but, as far as violence, the film is thankfully restrained enough to be realistic without being gory. Overall, Joyeux Noël is one of the most inspiring Christmas films I’ve seen, even if the ending is less than happy. As the 100th anniversary of these events approaches at the end of this year, the film remains a timely illustration of Thomas Hardy’s poem “The Man He Killed,” which ends with “Yes; quaint and curious war is!/You shoot a fellow down/You’d treat, if met where any bar is,/Or help to half a crown.”

Best line: (Scottish Father Palmer) “Tonight, these men were drawn to that altar like it was a fire in the middle of winter. Even those who aren’t devout came to warm themselves.”

 
Artistry: 9
Characters/Actors: 9
Entertainment: 7
Visual Effects: 7
Originality: 8
Watchability: 6
Other (language, sex): -4
 
TOTAL: 42 out of 60
 

Next: #190 – Hello, Dolly

© 2014 S. G. Liput

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The Great Escape (1963)

26 Thursday Jun 2014

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In 1943, the Germans thought they’d gotten wise
When they designed a camp to hold the most troublesome guys,
The prisoners who always tried escaping from their jail
And caused a lot of headaches for the Nazis on their trail.
 
But in their aspirations for a perfect prison dream,
In fact they put together the best liberation team.
The leader “X” was Roger, who was wanted far and wide,
And Danny was the “Tunnel King,” who dug three shafts outside.
 
The “Scrounger” was named Hendley, who finagled all supplies
And helped the “Forger” Colin Blythe, who lost sight in his eyes.
Then Sedgwick built all tools and had a big suitcase to carry,
And Hilts was called the “Cooler King,” who earned much solitary.
 
These men and more worked day and night to build three tunnels out
Named Tom and Dick and Harry, for there was no better route.
They masked their noise and hid the dirt in several clever ways
And tried to hide their plan below the Germans’ watchful gaze.
 
The Nazis still discovered Tom, which caused a suicide,
But all then worked on Harry to soon reach the woods outside.
The night arrived, and their whole plan discreetly took effect
As men began escaping through their passageway unchecked.
 
The hole came short of reaching woods but still they sneaked away,
Until the Germans heard a sound, to everyone’s dismay.
They stopped the flow but seventy-six escaped the camp in all,
Which launched a massive search for every man in this cabal.
 
Although they tried to blend right in, with forged passports and clothes,
Some chances and some poor mistakes and gaffes served to expose,
For all but three were seized again and fifty men were shot,
And Hilts marched calmly to his cooler when he too was caught.
Thus ended this escape attempt and their most brilliant plot.
_______________________
 

As I said in my Memphis Belle review, most war movies have different focuses than just a battlefield. In The Great Escape, POWs get the spotlight, and there’s not a single battle scene. Instead, we get a true story with an incredibly clever and detailed plot to escape from a German war camp. It’s one of those classic manly men ensembles of the 1960s, but here everyone is entirely likable, unlike, say, The Dirty Dozen.While the mostly British officers could just as easily have sat out the war, they instead fulfilled their “duty” to escape, and, though the film drags on rather long, it’s an incredible thing to see their plan put into effect, provided you have enough popcorn to keep you awake.

The actors are all skilled thespians, but sadly not all of them stick out, perhaps because they no longer have the star power they held in 1963. I recognized monikers like Ashley-Pitt, MacDonald, Sedgwick, and Cavendish, but I couldn’t tell who they were unless someone directly called them by name. Still, a number of the men make an impression, if only with their code names: Richard Attenborough as “Big X,” Donald Pleasence as the blind “Forger,” James Garner as the “Scrounger,” Charles Bronson as Danny, and of course Steve McQueen as Hilts, one of his most memorable roles. Interestingly, Bronson’s character of Danny is one of the few to reach freedom, just as he was one of the three who survived in The Dirty Dozen. I guess some guys are just lucky.

A number of elements of the film have been parodied to no end. The scenes involving the men wheeling down the narrow tunnel have found their way into several shows and movies like the similarly plotted Chicken Run, and the iconic score has also been imitated by shows ranging from Disney’s Recess to Hogan’s Heroes, which had a similar storyline involving POWs. And of course who can forget McQueen riding that motorcycle?

The actual escape is the tense highlight of the film, and it keeps the audience on their toes. Though it’s satisfying to see so many sneak away, the sad part is that most of them die. Considering the light-hearted tune in the score, it’s a rather dark ending, but one that is true to history. Overall, The Great Escape is an entertaining and clean war film that pays tribute to men who weren’t content to just sit around, men who harassed the enemy to the last and did their countries proud. To the fifty!

Best line: (Ramsey, having been told of the great resources used to guard the camp) “Well, it’s rather nice to know that you’re wanted.”

 
Artistry: 6
Characters/Actors: 7
Entertainment: 8
Visual effects: 6
Originality: 8
Watchability: 7
 
TOTAL: 42 out of 60
 

Next: #196 – Swiss Family Robinson

© 2014 S. G. Liput

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Memphis Belle (1990)

09 Monday Jun 2014

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The Allies fought hard in the Second World War
From beaches to fields everywhere,
But hundreds of thousands were chosen to soar
And battle the foes from the air.
 
One crew of such men who attacked from the sky
Was those on the plane Memphis Belle.
Twenty-four missions they managed to fly,
Surviving the aerial hell.
 
The twenty-fifth outing, their last for the war,
Both thrills and unnerves them at once.
They all celebrate at a party before
The mission that nobody wants.
 
There’s Dennis, the pilot, who rigidly reigns,
And Luke, the co-pilot, who’s brash
And wants just one chance to shoot down German planes
And gets it and causes a crash.
 
There’s Phil, who is nervous and fears he will die,
And Virge, who has restaurant ambitions,
And Jack, who likes teasing poor Gene, a young guy
Who prays and brings medals on missions.
 
There’s Rascal, the ladies’ man who almost falls when
His ball turret’s shot in midair,
And Clay, the tail gunner, who usually stalls when
He’s asked for his crooning to share.
 
There’s bombardier Val, who lets drop their payload,
Despite a blurred target at first.
He claims he’s a doctor who’ll soon hit the road,
But proves he knows naught when coerced.
 
For Danny, a young Irish poet who’s kind,
Is injured while they’re flying back.
Val faces a choice that perplexes his mind
But keeps Dan from fading to black.
 
Within sight of base, they are nearly home free,
But one of their landing gear’s stuck.
They quickly descend the wheel manually,
And everyone cheers at their pluck.
 
They get Danny quickly to medical care,
And all of the heroes exult.
They each did their duty and fought from the air,
And home awaits as a result.
_______________
 

War movies often focus on different aspects of a conflict in order to stay fresh and avoid copying another film that’s already been done. Lawrence of Arabia focused on the war in the Middle East; The Great Escape presented POWs in Europe; The Bridge on the River Kwai had POWs in the South Pacific; War Horse was from a faithful steed’s perspective; and Patton centered on a single general of World War II. Memphis Belle chooses to shine a spotlight on the WWII bombers in the air. It doesn’t so much focus on aerial dogfights as on a group of barrack buddies who are given a task and simply try to survive so they can go home. It isn’t historically accurate when it comes to the real Memphis Belle and its missions and crew, but this is a realistic war film that gives an authentic sense of actually being on a dangerous bombing run.

The best war films manage to create characters that viewers can care about in the midst of peril, and Memphis Belle certainly succeeds in this regard. Each of the young men on the plane has unique personalities and traits that make them into real people. Even if their names don’t stick, one can remember the religious gunner (Courtney Gains), the cocky co-pilot (Tate Donovan), the careful pilot (Matthew Modine), the lecherous gunner (Sean Astin), the nervous navigator (D. B. Sweeney), the calm crooner (Harry Connick, Jr.), and the doubtful doctor (Billy Zane), among others. The initial voiceover introductions don’t help all that much in distinguishing the characters, but by the end each has a moment, an act of kindness, a moral quandary, a fateful decision, that helped me know and appreciate each one. That being said, I do have trouble telling the actors apart at times. I can easily recognize Sean Astin and Billy Zane from their other films I’ve seen, but I’m not as familiar with the others so most of them look the same to me. Even so, David Strathairn offers John Lithgow’s character (and the audience) a heart-tugging glimpse at the war’s losses and the difficult job faced by officers as well.

During the mission, almost everything goes wrong, from cloud cover over the target to engine fires to lost comrades on nearby planes to the landing gear not lowering properly. The excitement and entertainment also come from how the men deal with these issues and the general stress of the mission. One gets drunk, one prays, one whittles, one does magic tricks, and one writes poetry (yeah, I like Danny [Eric Stoltz]). Though there’s some unfortunate language, the violence is restrained, and the very human characters and engagingly episodic plot make up for it. You won’t find too many war films on my list, but Memphis Belle definitely deserves a spot.

Best line: (Gene, searching through the barracks) “Has anyone seen my St. Anthony’s medal?”
(Danny) “Isn’t he the patron saint of lost things?”
(Gene) “Yeah, I can’t find it.”

 

Artistry: 7
Characters/Actors: 8
Entertainment: 8
Visual Effects: 6
Originality: 8
Watchability: 7
Other (language): -4
 
TOTAL: 40 out of 60
 

Next: #213 – Anastasia (1997)

© 2014 S. G. Liput

126 Followers and Counting

 

Shenandoah (1965)

21 Wednesday May 2014

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The Civil War is raging; there’s gunfire in the air,
But farmer Charlie Anderson insists he doesn’t care.
His six sons and one daughter and one daughter-in-law too
May disagree to some extent but never follow through.
 
They love the stubborn patriarch, who goes to service late,
And he loves all his family, but troubles soon await.
He’s urged to join the fighting for Virginia’s stately pride,
But since this war is not his own, he stays off either side.
 
When Sam, a soldier, courts his only daughter nervously,
He talks with him and lets them wed, which fills the pair with glee.
As soon as they are married, Sam is called away to fight,
Which leaves his wife despondent, still arrayed in bridal white.
 
When Charlie’s youngest son is on a coon hunt with a friend,
They come upon Confederates, who meet a bloody end,
And since the Boy is wearing a gray cap that he had found,
The Union takes him prisoner but leaves his pal unbound.
 
The black friend runs to tell his pa, and Charlie is upset.
He takes five of his children on a trip they won’t forget.
They leave behind son James, his wife, and Martha, their new baby,
To watch the farm till they return with Charlie’s youngest—maybe.
 
The closest Union leader doubts that Charlie will succeed.
There are far too many prisoners to find one Boy in need.
The Andersons decide to stop a loaded prison train.
They locate Sam, but not the Boy, and further search in vain.
 
Meanwhile, Charlie’s Boy joins with Confederates who flee.
They hide a bit but soon are caught in battle suddenly.
A friend assists the wounded Boy and helps him to escape.
Back on the farm, though, James is killed and his wife suffers rape.
 
Still hunting for the youngest boy, the searchers hear a gun.
A sleepy soldier takes a shot and kills the eldest son.
Though Charlie is heartbroken and does not claim to forgive,
He sees the soldier is a boy and lets the young man live.
 
Returning home, they learn the news, but Martha’s fine and fed.
Affected by the war at last, poor Charlie mourns his dead.
He nonetheless still goes to church, where one loss is restored.
He reunites with his dear Boy, and all sing to the Lord.
 
___________________
 

Having lived in the Shenandoah Valley, I typically enjoy films set in this gorgeous region of the Appalachians, and Shenandoah doesn’t disappoint. Jimmy Stewart gives a memorable performance as Charlie Anderson, a much more angry and bitter role for him than usual. Instead of the idealism of Jefferson Smith or George Bailey, Anderson evokes vicious protectiveness, dogged determination, and stubborn values. (That last one is common to his other roles, though.) He’s definitely the star, and his masterful acting, combined with the excellent script, raises the film above most war films of the 1960s.

While most of the sons aren’t really given a personality, the three with larger roles certainly earn audience sympathy as terrible things happen to them, particularly the Boy, played by Phillip Alford (Jem from To Kill a Mockingbird). The film is also notable for introducing Rosemary Forsyth and Katharine Ross (Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid), who both play strong female characters. Additionally, it features Dabbs Greer (Reverend Alden) and Kevin Hagen (Doc Baker) from Little House on the Prairie, the latter of whom has a much darker role than his more familiar TV persona.

The battle scenes are well-executed and largely bloodless, though one character receives a surprising (but not gory) shot to the head. Laudably, the film unfairly demonizes neither the Confederates nor the Union, showing good and bad on both sides. Instead, it serves as a critique on war and how it affects everyone negatively, even those who want no part of it, anticipating future backlash against the Vietnam War.

Jimmy Stewart makes the film, and the intense emotions sparked by his losses, coupled with his kindly and insightful wisdom about the ways of women, make his character well-rounded and admirable. The film might have been a complete downer, but the final scene ends it on a touching high note (literally).

Best line: (Charlie, to his dead wife Martha) “I don’t even know what to say to you any more, Martha. There’s not much I can tell you about this war. It’s like all wars, I guess. The undertakers are winning. And the politicians who talk about the glory of it. And the old men who talk about the need of it. And the soldiers, well, they just wanna go home.”

 
Artistry: 6
Characters/Actors: 8
Entertainment: 7
Visual Effects: 5
Originality: 6
Watchability: 6
 
TOTAL: 38 out of 60
 

Next: #232 – Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

© 2014 S. G. Liput

111 Followers and Counting

 

 

Gettysburg (1993)

27 Sunday Apr 2014

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Gettysburg! The town where North and South did chance to meet,
The peaceful hills and meadows that became a battlefield.
Both Yankee blues and rebel grays would not accept retreat
Until the farms of war had offered up their bloody yield.
Although Lee’s troops fought bravely, he was forced to face defeat;
With Pickett’s devastating charge, the battle’s fate was sealed.
 
Heroism shone amid the guns and cannon fire;
Of note was Colonel Chamberlain on Little Round Top’s heights.
They fought with different reasons but the same innate desire,
To end this brothers’ battle, fought for freedom or for rights.
 
May this inspire.
_________________________
 

Gettysburg is long, and I mean looooooong (thus I went with a short poem, a curtal sonnet). At 4 hours and 14 minutes, it is one of Hollywood’s longest movies, originally conceived as a miniseries but bumped up to feature film status by studio backer Ted Turner (who has a cameo in the finished film). History lovers like me will enjoy this meticulously crafted Civil War epic based on Michael Shaara’s historical novel The Killer Angels. There are so many characters and so much time spent detailing Lee’s strategy that it’s not what I would call a casual watch. I love tales of the Civil War, but even I can only watch it occasionally, considering the time investment necessary to view it in its entirety.

The film is almost too ambitious in trying to present such a well-rounded depiction of the famous battle. The first 40 minutes or so before the first battle scene could have been edited down significantly, and some scenes of the explosions and such go on too long. Two sequences, though, stick out as truly awesome in both scale and excitement: Chamberlain’s stand on the wooded slopes of Little Round Top midway through and Pickett’s disastrous charge near the end. Both have that real cast-of-thousands aspect from the old Cecil B. DeMille epics, which have been replaced in modern films with CGI.

While all the actors do a fine job, from Tom Berenger as Lieutenant General James Longstreet to Martin Sheen as Confederate General Robert E. Lee, again two performances emerge as the best. Richard Jordan (in his last film role) is excellent as Confederate “Lo” Armistead, who regrets having to fight an old friend on the opposite side, and Jeff Daniels gives an Oscar-worthy portrayal of Union Colonel Joshua Chamberlain of the 20th Maine regiment. Their stories are the most interesting, and both give stirring pro-American speeches that make Gettysburg perfect for July 4 viewing (plus the battle was fought from July 1-3, 1863).

One thing I much appreciate is that, despite the 53,000 lives that were lost at the battle of Gettysburg, the film manages to be almost entirely bloodless. Some think war films ought to be more realistic in their portrayal of violence, but this film captures the right balance between being fittingly intense without getting gruesome.

If you are easily bored by long films or have little interest in history, Gettysburg probably isn’t the right film for you, but every now and then I feel it’s important that we remind ourselves of the hardships and horrors of war that went into securing freedom for all and keeping this country together.

Best line: (Brigadier General James Kemper to Pickett) “I gotta hand it to you, George. You certainly do have a talent for trivializin’ the momentous and complicatin’ the obvious. You ever considered runnin’ for Congress?”

 
Artistry: 8
Characters/Actors: 8
Entertainment: 5
Visual Effects: 9
Originality: 7
Watchability: 2
Other (length): -3
 
TOTAL: 36 out of 60
 

Next: #253 – Jumpin’ Jack Flash

© 2014 S. G. Liput

83 Followers and Counting